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Rembrandt (1633) The Storm on the Sea of Galilee

Something about me that has continually played on my mind, right from when I was at secondary school, is the fact that I am changing. I don't remain the same. Over time, I become a different person. I grow up. I respond differently to situations. I make decisions that I later regret.

You could call it adapting. You could call it making mistakes.

But I figured that as somebody who is likely to change soon, I do rely on others. I rely on things external to myself to not change. There are these anchors or standards in my life that I rely on to stay put. Things that I might swear by. Things that are, in some way, bigger or greater than myself.

Now, all these things have massive implications, which I have decided to explore in a story. I wanted to explore what we cling to in our weakness.

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Yes, I am adapting over time. But I am changing - therefore I am variable, inconsistent, fallible. I recognise that I am suggesting that, overall at least, change is a weakness of our humanity. Perhaps that view is controversial.

But is it controversial to say that we swear on entities greater than ourselves? Whether that be people we love and admire, some unshakeable morality, or a god? Or our own wisdom and abilities, the norms of our society, or an institution, such as the government, marriage, or the consensus of scientists?